The present invention relates generally to adapters for mating a fluid source with a delivery tube. More particularly, the present invention relates to adapters for connecting an enteral fluid source to an enteral feeding device.
It is known to infuse nutritional formulations into a patient. Such nutritional products can be administered either enterally or parenterally. One enteral means for providing such nutrition is by use of a feeding tube which is connected to a supply or source of a liquid nutritional product. Likewise, one means for providing intravenous solution to a patient is by use of an IV needle. The IV needle is inserted into a patient's venous system. A luer fit or connection allows an adapter or coupler to be secured therein so that fluid can be infused through the needle into the patient.
For example, it is known to insert a catheter into a patient percutaneously or to use a nasogastric feeding tube. The catheter, or tube is connected to a container holding a liquid nutritional product via a fluid conduit. Various size adapters are normally provided at an outlet end of the fluid conduit. The adapters frictionally fit into an open end of the feeding catheters, or tube.
An example of such an adapter is a multi-step adapter disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,093. Stepped adapters provide the advantage that an outer surface provides a series of stepped surfaces of progressively smaller diameters from the flow inlet of the adapter to the flow outlet of the adapter. Thus, the adapter can be inserted into a wide variety of feed tubes and catheters of varying diameters and depths. Such adapter, however, also present the problem of allowing one to inadvertently insert the adapter into an IV luer fit or access port. This can allow one to accidentally introduce fluid into a patient's venous system. Of course, liquid formulas designed to be introduced into a patient's gastro/intestinal tract cannot be introduced into a patient's venous system without harmful consequences to the patient.
Because the diameter size for a standard IV access port is similar to the diameters of some small enteral access ports, universal enteral adapters, i.e. adapters that are designed to fit a variety of enteral feed tubes, can be inadvertently inserted into an IV luer access port. In this regard, an IV access port or luer connection is typically a port with an approximate diameter of 0.170", and having tapered sidewalls for securing an adapter therein. Universal enteral adapters typically have a small diameter tip section, approximately 0.175" diameter, so that the adapter can be used for small enteral access ports. Thus, the potential exists that the enteral adapter can accidentally be inserted and secured to an IV luer connection.